Bottle filling valve



y 9, 1939- w. LEMIRE 2,157,292

BOTTLE FILLING VALVE Filed Dec. 5, 1937 l '1 FIGS \I n 24 o 22 PatentedMay 9, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFEQE BOTTLE FILLING VALVE ApplicationDecember 3, 1937, Serial No. 177,974 In Canada December 3, 1936 7Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in bottle filling valvesand more specifically to bottle filling valves of the type usingcounterpressure air to control the flow of liquid into the bottles.

An object of the invention is to provide in combination with anoperating diaphragm an improved liquid valve controlling the supply ofliquid flowing from the liquid tank into the filling tube.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottle filling valveof this nature, the component parts of which are arranged so as to avoidloss of gas from charged liquids flowing through it.

Another object is to provide a valve of the nature described having itsoperating elements conveniently disposed so as to prevent theirobstruction by vegetable fibers from the beverage syrups.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following.specification, and the novel features of the invention will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view or" a counterpressure system showing theimproved valve in a reduced side elevation.

Figure 2 is a vertical front cross section of the filling valve.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the liquid control valve operatingmechanism.

Figure 4 is a horizontal cross section along the line ll of Figure 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawing A represents the liquidfiller tank with the filler valve B projecting into it.

The filler valve B comprises an upper cage casting Id and a lower cagecasting ll connected by tubes 52. The upper cage casting i is providedwith a downwardly extending bracket I3 having an opening i i therein.The operating diaphragm i5 is placed adjacent to the upper cage castingiii and secured by a cap iii. The cap Iii and the diaphragm !5 formtherebetween a chamber i'l. Passageways iii through the upper cagecasting iii connect this chamber with the tubes l2.

The lower cage casting H is provided with a bushing 59 which receivesthe upper end of a filling tube it fitted with a valve seat 2 l. A valveplug 22 adapted to cooperate with the seat 2| is mounted on a rocker arm23 fulcrumed on a bracket 24 extending upwardly from the cage casting H.The end of the arm 223 remote from the plug 22 is pivotally connected toa stem 25 extending upwardly through the opening 14 in the bracket !3and having its upper end rigidly secured to the diaphragm I5. 5

An adjustment nut 26 is provided on the up per end of the stem 25. A.coil spring 2'! acts against an adjustable collar 28 mounted on the stem25 so that the outer end of the rocker arm 23 remote from the plug 22 isurged downwardly, thus urging the plug 22 upwardly and away from theseat 2i.

A tail piece 29 extends downwardly from the lower cage casting I! toenclose with the latter a chamber 30 connected with the tubes l2 byducts 3! through the lower cage casting II. A counter-pressure shut-offvalve 32 comprising a tube 33, a head 34 and a resilient seat 35, isdisposed upon the filling tube 2ll, the head 34 thereof being incommunication with a compression spring 36. The tube 33 is provided witha relatively large opening 37 and a smaller pressure release opening 38.A filling valve body 39 having a counter-pressure air opening ll!therein is attached to the lower end of the tail piece 29. A 5 resilientseat il is disposed within the lower portion of the body 353. A bottlecentering bell 42 having a head 43 and carrying a rubber seat M isdisposed upon the lower portion of the filling tube 20.

Operation The tank A is filed with a charged liquid subjected to apredetermined amount of air pressure. The opening Mi in the body 39communicates with the air pressure cylinder C through a pipe 46. Thecylinder C has a relatively greater air pressure therein than the airpressure in the tank A.

In Figure 2 the filling device is shown in nonoperative position. When abottle is placed beneath the bell 42 and moved upwardly the bell israised until the head 43 strikes the lower end of the tube 33. Bycontinued upward movement of the bell t2 the counter-pressure shut offvalve is raised allowing the counter-pressure air to pass from theopening d0 through the opening 31 in the tube 33 and downwardly betweenthe tube 33 and the filling tube 29 into the bottle. Thecounter-pressure air from the cylinder 0 is also allowed to pass upwardthrough the openings 3| in the lower cage casting H and through thetubes I2 into the chamber 17.

When the air pressure in the chamber I! becomes sufficiently great toovercome the air pressure within the tank A the diaphragm I5 is forceddownwardly until the adjusting nut 26 strikes the bracket l3. Thisdownward movement causes the upward movement of the valve plug 22 fromthe seat 2| thus allowing the liquid to pass from the tank A into thefilling tube 20.

The spring 21 compensates between the relatively small pressuredifference acting on the diaphragm to move the valve plug 22 into theopen position and the higher pressure difference tending to close theplug 22 onto its seat 2!. The tension of the spring 2'! may be alteredthrough the adjustable collar 28 to vary the sensitivity of the valveand to balance its rates of opening and closing. The counter-pressureair in the bottle prevents a rapid fiow of liquid therein. The closureof the upper end of the tube by means of the valve plug 22 prevents lossof liquid from the tube when the latter is removed from the bottle.

During the filling operation with devices of this type the filling tubeextends downwardly into the bottle so that its bottom end is close tothe fiavouring syrup. As the charged liquid rises in the bottle thelower end of the filling tube becomes immersed. In the cases Where thistube has a valve at its lower end this valve is likely to become cloggedor obstructed in operation by pulp fibres present in the liquid.

In the present device, the valve is wholly situated above the fillingtube so that its working parts are protected and their size lessrestricted so that a positive closure is ensured for long operatingperiods. In a device of this nature in which a valve plug is located atthe bottom of the filling tube it is usual to provide a non-resilientseating on account of the small space available. Such a seating must becarefully machined so as to cooperate with the valve plug. The locationof the valve at the upper end of the filling tube as in the presentarrangement makes it possible to employ a resilient valve seating. Thisis found to be more efiicient in practice and when it becomes worn itmay easily and economically be replaced.

It is a feature of the device that it provides a filling tube free ofinternal working parts, so that a smooth flow of liquid from the tank tothe bottle is ensured. Thus, separation of gas from the liquid, with itsattendant disadvantages of foam in the bottle, and lack of sparkle inthe product, are measurably reduced.

By the improved operation of a device of this nature its advantages willreadily be observed. A pressure system of this nature is almost whollydependent upon the positive operation of the diaphragm operated fillingvalve. If this important mechanism fails the filling operation may behalted while plant and labour are tied up awaiting its rectification.

It will be understood that the above description is explanatory only andthat the invention may be modified in various ways within the scope ofthe claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:----

1. In a bottle filling valve of the type described, a tank forcontaining liquid under pressure, a liquid tube in communication withthe tank, a liquid valve arranged to engage with the inlet end of saidtube for stopping the fiow of a liquid under pressure thereto, anoperating diaphragm in communication with the tank and acounter-pressure air chamber, an operatingstem connecting the diaphragmwith the liquid valve whereby pressure in the tank acts through thediaphragm to close the liquid valve, means urging the liquid valvetowards the open position, a counter-pressure air inlet, a valve forsaid inlet, a valve sleeve having an inlet and an outlet openingtherethrough, shiftable means arranged to be actuated by a bottle formoving said sleeve and said valve whereby the counter-pressure air maypass from said inlet through said inlet opening in said valve sleeve andinto the bottle and into the counterpressure air chamber whereby thediaphragm is actuated to open the liquid valve, the outlet opening insaid sleeve being positioned to allow a portion of the air pressure topass therethrough from said bottle and the counter-pressure air chamberfor closing the liquid valve and gradually releasing the pressure fromthe liquid after a portion of the liquid has passed through said liquidtube.

2. In a bottle filling valve of the nature described, a liquid tank andan air supply, a liquid tube in communication with said tank, anoperating diaphragm in communication with said air supply and with saidtank, a valve arranged to engage with the inlet end of said tube, and anoperating stem connecting said valve with said diaphragm wherebypressure in the tank acts through the diaphragm to urge the valve toclose all the liquid tube from the tank, and means urging the valvetowards the open position.

3. In a bottle filling valve of the nature described, a liquid tank andan air supply, a liquid tube in communication with said tank, anoperating diaphragm in communication with said air supply and said tank,a valve seat arranged at the inlet end of said tube, a rocker armadjacent to said tube, a valve plug mounted on one end of said arm andadapted to cooperate with said valve seat, and an operating stemconnecting the other end of said arm with said diaphragm wherebypressurein the tank acts through the diaphragm to urge the valve plug toward thevalve seat, and resilient means urging the valve towards the openposition.

4. In a bottle filling valve of the nature described, a liquid tank andan air supply, a liquid tube in communication with said tank, anoperating diaphragm in communication with said air supply and with saidtank, a valve arranged to engage with the inlet end of said tube, anoperating stem connecting said valve with said diaphragm, and a springurging said valve toward its open position.

5. In a bottle filling device of the nature described, a liquid tank andan air supply, a bottle entering liquid tube in communication with saidtank, an operating diaphragm in communication with said air supply andsaid tank, a valve seat arranged at the inlet end of said tube, a rockerarm mounted adjacent to said tube, a valve plug mounted on one end ofsaid arm for cooperation with said valve seat, an operating stemconnecting the other end of said arm with said diaphragm, a collarmounted on said stem, and a compression spring in engagement with saidcollar and a rigid bearing to urge said valve toward its open position.

6. In a bottle filling valve of the type described, a tank forcontaining liquid under pressure and a counter-pressure air supply, aliquid tube leading from the tank, an operating diaphragm incommunication with the tank and the counterpressure air supply, a valveseat arranged at the inlet end of the tube, a rocker arm adjacent to thetube, a valve plug mounted on one end of the rocker arm and adapted tocooperate with the valve seat to form a closure for the tube, anoperating stem connecting the other end of the arm with the diaphragmwhereby pressure in the tank acts through the diaphragm to urge thevalve plug to close against the valve seat, and a spring on theoperating stem arranged to urge the valve plug away from the valve seatto counterbalance the valve closing urge of the diaphragm.

7. In a bottle filling valve of the type described, a tank forcontaining liquid under pressure and a counter-pressure air supply, a,liquid tube leading from the tank, an operating diaphragm incommunication with the tank and the counterpressure air supply, a valveseat arranged at the stem bearing against the collar to urge the valve10 plug away from the valve seat.

WILFRID LEMIRE.

